Vaccinium parvifolium

RHS Plant Profile
red bilberry

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Other common names

red huckleberry

Fruit Edible Shrubs

This is a graceful shrub or short tree reaching nearly 2m in favourable conditions. It has deciduous green leaves which turn red in autumn and small white bell-shaped flowers borne individually in leaf axils, which develop into bright red edible berries

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
1-1.5 metres
Max Height
1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Ericaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Spreading branched, Bushy, Columnar upright
Genus
Vaccinium can be evergreen or deciduous shrubs or small trees, with simple leaves and small, bell- or urn-shaped flowers followed by juicy, sometimes edible berries
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
Western N America

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist but well-drained acidic soil. Choose a sheltered site in full sun or light shade in the north, light shade in the south.

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in late spring or semi-ripe cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Edible fruit

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), powdery mildews, root rot and chlorosis due to iron and manganese deficiency; see nutrient deficiencies